This is a short policy commentary written from my vantage point as an Assistant Professor of English at King Saud University and a PhD graduate of The Ohio State University.
A simple reality shapes the daily work of globally competitive universities: research moves through academic English.Not because English is inherently superior, but because it remains the dominant operating language of journals, conferences, peer review, and international collaboration. If the goal is to place Saudi universities among the world’s top institutions—as Vision 2030 rightly aspires—then we have to treat English proficiency not as a “skills” sidebar, but as research infrastructure.
In my experience working with students and faculty, English is often one of the most consequential non-financial bottlenecks: it slows graduate training, complicates publishing pipelines, and weakens the international visibility of otherwise strong work. The good news is that meaningful improvement does not require expensive new buildings or decade-long structural overhauls. It requires policy alignment—clear expectations, practical support, and incentives that reward measurable progress.
Below are three concrete, relatively low-cost moves the Ministry of Education could announce in 2026 to accelerate results.
1) Make English as a Medium of Instruction mandatory for graduate programs by 2028 (phased rollout)
Graduate education is where research culture is formed: thesis writing, lab meetings, seminar discussions, and the professional norms that carry students into publication and conference presentation.
A realistic approach is phased EMI, not an overnight switch:
- Phase 1 (2026–2027): STEM, medicine/health, and business programs with clear international publishing and accreditation pathways.
- Phase 2 (2027–2028): expansion across remaining graduate programs, with discipline-sensitive implementation.
The key is to pair the mandate with support: writing centers, thesis-writing intensives, and structured faculty development. EMI without infrastructure produces frustration; EMI with infrastructure produces outcomes.
2) Create a national “English for Research” certification tied to promotion and research funding
Many researchers are not blocked by ideas or data; they are blocked by the interface—the English required to publish, present, and be cited. Abstracts, cover letters, conference talks, grant narratives, and reviewer responses are not generic English tasks; they are specialized scholarly genres.
A national, MOE-backed English for Research certification—designed for faculty—would:
- standardize expectations across institutions,
- normalize professional development without stigma,
- and directly improve global research communication.
To work, it should be linked to incentives:
- eligibility for competitive internal grants,
- evaluation points within promotion processes,
- and (where appropriate) MOE-linked funding streams.
Done well, this becomes a measurable quality multiplier within a few years: clearer writing, stronger submissions, fewer desk rejections, and more effective international participation.
3) Establish a Visiting International Faculty matching fund (1-year minimum placements)
Universities improve fastest when talent and norms circulate. A national matching program can make this scalable and strategic.
Proposed model:
For every qualified visiting faculty member a Saudi university recruits for at least one year, the Ministry matches a defined portion of the cost—especially when the role includes graduate supervision, research mentorship, and seminar leadership in English.
To maximize impact, placements should prioritize:
- graduate supervision and thesis committees,
- research group integration,
- co-authored publications and grant development,
- recurring seminar series that build durable academic English environments.
This delivers immediate benefits: student exposure, faculty collaboration, and stronger research ecosystems—without waiting for long pipeline reforms to mature.
Closing
I have trained and worked with many KSU students and faculty on academic English—writing, research communication, and professional presentation. The motivation is not the problem. The missing piece is a policy framework that treats English as research infrastructure: required where it matters most, supported where it’s hardest, and incentivized where it’s undervalued.
If you would like to discuss implementation—timelines, assessment models, staffing options, and how to avoid “box-checking” compliance—I welcome conversations via my Contact page.
Notes
- This piece reflects professional experience and a policy perspective; implementation details will vary by discipline and institution.
- “EMI” here refers specifically to graduate instruction and research training where international publication and collaboration are expected outcomes.
- Any national certification should assess research communication competence (writing/publishing/presenting), not general conversational fluency.
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